Curly's Photo and Fishing Blog
Saturday, October 24, 2009
For Most Fishing Done Till Ice Time
Fishing is really slow with a few getting out for perch and many hope with the rains the steelhead will be going up the rivers to gorge themselves on salmon eggs. Most have put there boats away and getting ready for deer firearm season or ice fishing
Saginaw Bay -A few perch were caught along the shipping channel and up the old shipping channel. Boats were lucky to get 5 to 8 keepers. Boat anglers vertical jigging with jigs or spoons baited with minnows are taking a few walleye at the mouth of the Saginaw River. One nice perch was caught off Quanicassee when fishing in 30 feet of water out near the end of the shipping channel, which is a long ways out from Quanicassee. Huge clouds of emerald shiners are starting to show up near shore and in the mouth of some rivers, so maybe the perch will follow.
Mullett Lake -Perch are biting on minnows and the walleye are coming into shallow water with night fishing with body baits. A few perch have been caught just south of Dodge Point, Long Point, and down near the Indian River. Try minnows in 20 to 30 feet of water.
Burt Lake - Perch are in Maple Bay with minnows working best.
Lake Margrethe a decent number of walleye are being taken in about 18 feet of water using leeches or crawlers on a jig head. Perch are biting great also on minnows. Anglers are also catching a few pike as well. Also the gills have started to bite on waxworms and worms.
Higgins Lake -Weather permitting, boats are still heading out for lake trout. Perch fishing and rainbows will be the target fish.
Houghton Lake -Night fishing has started with blues or body baits.
Lake Charlevoix - Perch fishing has been spotty at Ironton.
Lake Bellaire Some were targeting walleye off Fisherman’s Paradise when trolling crawler harnesses. A few bass were still being caught on tube baits, crank baits and rubber worms. Pike anglers are trolling stick baits in 15 to 30 feet of water in the Northwest Arm. A few perch were caught near the mouth of the Intermediate River when using minnows and crawlers.
Glen Lake - Is again producing some nice catches of perch around the point off the marina and along the beds at the north end of Big Glen. Try minnows or wigglers.
Elk River -Waiting for a few steelhead to show up
Boardman River - Salmon are hitting on spawn.
Lake Leelanau - The perch have started to move and limit catches were reported in the bays when using minnows or wigglers.
Long Lake by Traverse City has picked up on both perch and walleye
Lake Missaukee - Not much fishing pressure
Portage Lake -Is producing perch
Manistee -Steelhead along with a few leftover salmon are being caught in 150 to 300 feet of water. Red and orange were still good colors. Pier and shore anglers are catching steelhead on fresh salmon spawn.
Manistee River - There are still a few salmon on the gravel, although the run has begun to wind down. Steelhead were caught in the lower river.
Ludington -Steelhead and salmon are being caught in waters 40 to 150 feet deep. Pier anglers were taking steelhead when casting red and orange spoons.
Brevort Lake near Allenville and north of St. Ignace is producing walleye and anglers are doing well when they can get out. Wind, rain and chilly temperatures limited angling activity this week but the weekend is looking up.
Manistique anglers are dealing with chilly temperatures and rain this week, but when anglers can get out the fishing is good on Indian Lake for decent counts of walleye. Good fishing off of the Manistique area on Lake Michigan where the salmon and trout are active. Spoons are working in just about every color. Good luck to all anglers fishing in the 24th Annual Manistique Area Salmon and Trout Derby this weekend. Call 1-800-342-4282 or 906-341-5241 for information.
Little Bay De Noc-Walleye have migrated up into the northern parts of the Bay and catch rates were fair. Anglers that fished before dawn or at dusk did best between the First Reef and the Black Bottom when trolling stick baits in 8 to 30 feet of water along the reefs and the east bank. Northern pike were very active as several large fish were caught by those trolling crank baits or stick baits straight out from the coal piles near Gladstone. Try 12 to 23 feet of water. Good smallmouth catches reported throughout the Bay especially off Hunter’s Point and Squaw Point.
Big Bay De Noc-Good numbers of walleye were reported around Round Island but few anglers were targeting them. Smallmouth bass were caught near Garden Bluff when casting tube baits in 15 to 25 feet of water. Off Fairport, a few salmon were still caught by those trolling 60 to 120 feet down in waters 125 to 160 feet deep.
Grand Marais -Some fishing off the piers
Cedarville and Hessel -A few perch have been caught in Musky Bay and the Middle Entrance when using a red teardrop with a minnow in 6 to 12 feet of water. A few fish were also caught off Little Joe Island. Near Cedarville, Bush Creek still has a few salmon coming in. Anglers are casting an artificial orange egg on a single hook with a couple of split shots.